Lewis Hamilton vs Charles Leclerc: How the two drivers stack up as teammates at Ferrari

When it was first announced that Lewis Hamilton would be joining Charles Leclerc at Ferrari, there was a certain level of expectation of how the duo would perform relative to each other. On one side, we have the 7x F1 champion, who is one of the greatest drivers to ever race in F1, and on the other, we have a young charger that is touted to be one of the best talents in the sport.

How do two drivers at very different stages of their respective careers perform on the same team, especially when the team is none other than Ferrari? We've had 12 races this season, and it is the halfway mark in the year. There was always going to be a period where Hamilton was going to take some time to acclimate to the team and the car.

So, while that period is over now, how have the two drivers stacked up against each other? Let's take a look.

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Lewis Hamilton vs Charles Leclerc: Head to Head

Sprints

Qualifying (1-1)

In the two sprints that we've had this season, it's been even between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc. In China, it was the Brit who was ahead, while the younger driver beat the veteran in Miami.

Races (2-0)

The races have been a different story, however, as Lewis Hamilton has a win and a podium to his name. Leclerc, on the other hand, couldn't do much in China and crashed out on the formation lap in Miami.

Podiums(2-0)

As we mentioned earlier, Lewis won the sprint in China, while he got another podium in Miami.

Wins(1-0)

Charles Leclerc is yet to win any race this season, even though he has been close a few times. Lewis Hamilton does, however, have a win under his belt, even though it was in a sprint.

Points(14-4)

In two sprints that we've had this season, Lewis Hamilton leads Charles Leclerc in terms of points. The veteran has 14 of them compared to the 4 for the younger driver.

Grand Prix

Qualifying (4-8)

It's been a one-way traffic for the large part in qualifying for the Grand Prix. Charles Leclerc leads his veteran teammate quite comprehensively and has had an edge over a lap in general.

In all fairness, the race in Silverstone was the first time Lewis Hamilton had the performance in the car to beat Charles Leclerc, as the other three occasions were either a case of strategy or the younger Ferrari driver making a mistake.

Races (2-9)

In the races, the gap balloons even further as it is 2-9 in favor of Leclerc. The two times that he has lost were in Imola and Silverstone.

At Imola, it was the result of the driver having an inferior strategy, while the race in Silverstone was just Lewis Hamilton being the faster of the two drivers.

Podiums (0-4)

Lewis Hamilton is yet to score his first podium for Ferrari and is actually on his longest lean run in terms of being on the podium. Charles Leclerc, on the other hand, has been on the rostrum 4 times this season, with the driver arguably missing out on a potential win in Monaco.

Points(89 -115)

Overall, there's a 26-point gulf between the two drivers if we talk about the Grand Prix segment of a race weekend.

Overall

Qualifying (5-9)

If we take a look at the overall numbers, it doesn't look as bad. Out of the 14 qualifying sessions, it is 9 in favor of Leclerc, while Hamilton has been ahead 5 times.

Races (4-9)

When it comes to the races, it's been 9-4 in favour of Leclerc, an indication that the young driver has had a clearer edge over his teammate.

Points(103 -119)

Overall, if you look at the points gap between the two drivers, it's only a 16-point gap. A lot of it does come down to the fact that Hamilton has made sure that even on his bad weekends, he's bringing the car home and clocking the points continuously.

The points gap is certainly something that's going to be interesting to watch in the second half of the year as well.

Conclusion

After the first races, it does appear that Charles Leclerc has the edge over Lewis Hamilton in terms of performance. There is, however, the other element, which is the points gap between the two drivers. Overall is not much at this stage, which shows that even though Hamilton leaves something on the table in terms of performance, he makes sure he brings the car home every time and scores points.

The battle would only evolve from this point onwards, as Lewis Hamilton is now more or less entrenched within the team.